Bhubaneswar: A statue of Biju Patnaik, former Chief Minister of Odisha, was reportedly vandalized and set on fire by miscreants at Patnagarh’s Parshuram Square in Balangir district on Tuesday morning.
As per reports, the statue had been a point of contention since its installation, with the Brahmin community opposing its placement, citing that it was erected without their consent. The community had demanded the installation of a Lord Parshuram statue at the same spot, leading to a prolonged standoff.
Former MLA Saroj Meher’s attempt to install a Biju Patnaik statue was met with opposition from the Brahmin community. They resisted the installation, instead insisting that a Lord Parshuram statue be erected at the same location in Parshuram Chowk, Patnagarh. This led to a prolonged standoff, with the Brahmin community even staging a month-long protest. Eventually, the administration intervened, and the Biju Patnaik statue was covered with jute bags. However, this morning, some miscreants were seen setting the statue on fire.
The incident has sparked tension in the area, with locals accusing outsiders of instigating the act. After the statue was set ablaze, the Patnagarh Notified Area Council (NAC) promptly removed the damaged statue.
Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched by the police to determine who was involved in the incident and why the statue was set on fire.
